1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to interconnected computer systems and, more particularly, to computer systems used in a retail store environment.
2. Discussion of Background
FIG. 1 shows a conventional retail store environment, including a store point-of-sale (POS) controller 10, a store point-of-sale loop (POS loop) 12, and multiple cash registers or point-of-sale terminals 14, two of which are shown. The store POS controller 10 communicates with the cash registers 14 through the store POS loop 12, which is a data bus that extends through the store from one cash register 14 to the next and to which all the cash registers 14 and the store POS controller 10 are connected. The store POS controller 10 has associated database files (not shown) for storing data pertaining to store activities, such as an item record file defining the items available for sale in the store.
A difficulty with the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is that this configuration does not support supplemental functions, such as in-store printing of discount coupons and/or other purchasing incentives, reading and processing coupons brought to the store by customers, and reading other coded items at the point-of-sale, such as bank cards, customer loyalty cards, such as frequent shopper cards, credit cards, and checks, etc.
Another system has been proposed utilizing a Kiosk located in a retail store (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,197 to Axler et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,848 to Stoken). The Kiosk would provide support for supplemental functions, such as in-store printing of discount coupons and/or other purchasing incentives. However, this system does not typically support in-store printing of discount coupons and/or other purchasing incentives at any of various departments, such as the deli, cosmetics, butcher, seafood, produce, floral, etc., departments within the retail store since the Kiosk is a large apparatus and therefore is typically located at a predetermined location within the retail store.
Another system has been proposed utilizing coupon dispensers distributed throughout various location within a retail store for dispensing pre-printed coupons. These coupon dispensers, however, do not provide support for supplemental functions, such as in-store printing of discount coupons and/or other purchasing incentives. In addition, this system does not support in-store printing of discount coupons and/or other purchasing incentives based on a customer's shopping history since only pre-printed coupons are provided.